Abstract: Does recent growth of darknet markets signify a slow reorganisation of the
illicit drug trade? Where are darknet markets situated in the global drug
supply chain? In principle, these platforms allow producers to sell directly to
end users, bypassing traditional trafficking routes. And yet, there is evidence
that many offerings originate from a small number of highly active consumer
countries, rather than from countries that are primarily known for drug
production. In a large-scale empirical study, we determine the darknet trading
geography of three plant-based drugs across four of the largest darknet
markets, and compare it to the global footprint of production and consumption
for these drugs. We present strong evidence that cannabis and cocaine vendors
are primarily located in a small number of consumer countries, rather than
producer countries, suggesting that darknet trading happens at the 'last mile',
possibly leaving old trafficking routes intact. A model to explain trading
volumes of opiates is inconclusive. We cannot find evidence for significant
production-side offerings across any of the drug types or marketplaces. Our
evidence further suggests that the geography of darknet market trades is
primarily driven by existing consumer demand, rather than new demand fostered
by individual markets.